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PhD Research Fellow in Machine Learning / Signal Processing for Planetary Ground Penetrating Radar

Deadline: 28.02.2023

Universitetet i Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.


The University of Oslo (UiO) is expanding the activity at Campus Kjeller to strengthen our education, research, and innovation in technology for a sustainable future. UiO is a well-ranked research university where the Department of Technology Systems at Kjeller (ITS) is focused on applied research in sustainable energy, autonomous systems, space, and security.


At Kjeller, ITS is co-located with the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (FFI) and the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), which both offer rich opportunities for collaboration. ITS also has a range of interdisciplinary research collaborations that include the UiO Blindern Campus and Oslo Science City, as well as many other national and international institutions and industries.


ITS offers several master level programmes, alone and jointly with other departments: Renewable energy systems, Cybernetics and autonomous systems, Robotics and intelligent systems, and Information security. ITS also hosts the Centre for Space Sensors and Systems (CENSSS), which incorporates operation of an instrument on the NASA Perseverance rover on Mars. A new master program in Space systems is in the planning stage.


The department currently has 9 permanent scientific staff, approximately 35 adjunct staff from the research institutes at Kjeller and from industry, as well as about 20 PhD candidates.


This position is part of an ongoing expansion of the UiO activity at Campus Kjeller. Campus Kjeller is located 20 km northeast of Oslo, between the city center and Oslo Airport. It is a 20 minutes commute with public transportation from Oslo city center to the campus.

Job description

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Machine Learning/Signal Processing for Planetary Ground Penetrating Radar available at the Centre for Space Sensors and Systems (CENSSS) at the Department of Technology Systems (ITS).

CENSSS is a Centre for researched based innovation (SFI) at the Department of Technology Systems at Kjeller. The Centre is funded by the Norwegian Research Council and the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

The starting date is no later than October 1, 2023.

The fellowship period is 3 years.

A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25% that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

More about the position

The PhD fellow will be part of the RIMFAX team on the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission. RIMFAX is a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and one of seven scientific instruments aboard the Perseverance rover. The RIMFAX Science team is an international team with participants from institutions in both US and Europe, see here.

The main goal of the RIMFAX experiment is to study the environmental and geological history of Mars at the Perseverance landing site in Jezero crater.

The PhD research work will include one or more of the following topics and tasks:

  • Algorithms and methods for optimal imaging of the geological structures of interest
  • Machine learning methods for automatic interpretation/classification of the RIMFAX radar images
  • Retrieval of geophysical parameters, such as dielectric properties, from RIMFAX data
  • Dissemination through scientific publications

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in Geoscience, Physics or Computer Science
  • Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
  • Must have experience in one or more of the following topics; Signal Processing, Machine Learning or Geophysics
  • Must have good programming skills in Python

Candidates without a Master’s degree have until 30 June, 2023 to complete the final exam.

The research area for the position can include technologies referred to in the Ministry's export control regulations, and the candidate must be eligible to obtain a security clearance.

The position's subject area may require licensing under the Norwegian Export Control Act. In order to be considered for the position, it is a prerequisite that UiO must be able to be granted such licence.

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

  • The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
  • The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
  • The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of a Scandinavian language is an advantage

English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements, here.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see:

Personal skills

  • Ability to take initiative and come up with new ideas to solve theoretical and practical problems
  • Ability to work independently as well as in a team
  • Good communication skills

We offer

  • Salary NOK 501 200 – 544 400 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
  • Vibrant international academic environment
  • Career development programmes
  • Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

  • Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
  • CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
  • Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records
  • Documentation of English proficiency (applies for non-EU citizens)
  • Letters of recommendation
  • List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
  • Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system (please follow the link “Apply for this job”). Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact information

For further information regarding this position and recruitment process, please contact:

  • Professor Svein-Erik Hamran, phone: +47 22842211, e-mail: s.e.hamram@its.uio.no
  • Senior Advisor Tor Berger, phone: +47 22842212 , e-mail: tor.berger@its.uio.no

For technical questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact:

  • HR Adviser Olga Holmlund, e-mail: olga.holmlund@mn.uio.no

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